𝐓𝐎 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐖𝐇𝐈𝐂𝐇 𝐈 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄

─ 𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲-𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐡

𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐁𝐔𝐑

━━━━━━ ◦ ❖ ◦ ━━━━━━

IT HAD BEEN A WEEK since everyone was in the same room together. It had been a week since anyone had seen Wilbur leave his room. Azalea, becoming concerned over it, decided to ask Tommy and Techno separately. She had overcome her emotions over the whole lying to her, she can forgive but wouldn't forget. Despite having put her trust in them and opening herself up, she wasn't going to become reckless. A part of her closed off, afraid to let someone in again just to be lied to. The other part came to terms with it and even empathized with them. But what good would that do if she couldn't even get them all in the same room?

At first she went to Techno, who was probably the most mature person and had talked to Wilbur last. When she first approached him on the subject he had turned her down with a shrug and said he'd 'come out any hour now'. That was three days ago. She then went back to him days later, which was yesterday, and this time he responded more worried. He had said, 'last time I talked with him he wouldn't stop talking about having lost it'. He couldn't tell her anymore because even he himself didn't know what he was referring too.

Next she went to Tommy, who was equally concerned for Wilbur. Azalea had picked up on the thought that Tommy most likely looked up to Wilbur, since he was both his older brother and court leader. When Azalea asked Tommy about why Wilbur hadn't come out Tommy couldn't answer. He had explained how he had tried to talk sense into Wilbur to come out but his attempts were in vain. 'It was like talking to a wall' Tommy had described.

Something had knocked him off the edge in the past week and she couldn't help but feel guilty. Was it her lashing out at him that helped cause him to do this? Or was it something else and it was just convenient that the truth come out then? She told herself that it probably wasn't her fault, but she knew she was trying to feel less guilty than she probably was. There was no chance that the one time she got mad at him and left does he go into isolation. The chances were slim.

Today, though, would be the day she would have to leave for the masquerade. The capital was a four day journey on foot to get there. She had done her best to keep it on the low and cover her tracks. Yet, Tommy probably already knew about her going since he had walked in on her hiding the dress, but even then she forced him to keep quiet. He promised not to tell as long as she tells him if his best friend is alright. And at that point after she swore she would, Tommy said he'd even help her. It was out of character for him, yes, but after so long of being stuck in the cavern any source of entertainment was enough. Sadly, he had expressed he was aware he couldn't go, he knew he'd get caught and endanger them all and as much as he wanted to he would have to resist.

It was sad how for a teenage boy he was stuck in a political mess. Every choice he made would impact other people that couldn't handle that consequence. It hurt knowing that he had been brought up in a life he didn't have a say in. But somehow, somehow, he was fine with it. There were occasions where Azalea would talk to Tommy and listen to him tell stories of him at the capital. It was his way of coping, she guessed. He would talk about times he had gotten into trouble, times he had made a good decision, or times when he would hang out with his best friend. And there was no denying he loved the nation, the way he talked about it and the way he would light up at the mention of its name. And overtime Azalea realized that he was meant to be who he is, he wanted to be involved, and he had let it slip one time that he aspired to be where Wilbur is.